Jambu Jyoti

SR No.: 006503
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: M A Dhaky, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: Kasturbhai Lalbhai Smarak Nidhi Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2004
Total Pages: 448
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Philosophy, & Religion
File Size: 21 MB

Page 127

M. A. Dhaky
The next source, which preserves a small piece of information on Bhadrabahu, is the Uttaradhyayana-niryukti (c. A.D. 525). In this work it is reported that the four disciples of Bhadrabahu (the niryukti does not specify their names) died in peace in a cave at Vaibhāragiri near Rājagṛha, having faced sīta parişaha, visitation of severe chill43:
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राजगिहंमि वयंसा सीसा चउरो उ भद्दबाहुस्स । भारगिरिगुहाए सीयपरिसया समाहिगया ||
Jambū-jyoti
The Uttaradhyayana-niryukti's verse, in point of fact, clarifies the import of a relevant (and earlier) verse from the Maranavibhakti-prakīrṇaka (c. 2nd3rd cent. A.D.)44, which apparently alludes to this very incident although, like the Uttaradhyayana niryukti, it specifies no names of the friars involved: it does mention Rajagṛha, but not the Vaibharagiri cave there. Moreover, it does not specifically state that these four were the disciples of Bhadrabahu : रायगिहनिग्गया खलु पडिमापडिपन्नगा मुनीचउरो । सीत विहूय कमेणं पहरे पहरे गया सिद्धि ।।
— मरणविभक्तिप्रकीर्णक ४८९
- उत्तराध्ययननियुक्ति ९१
However, the combined information from the last two sources would lead to infer that, what was intended to be conveyed, is the death of the four disciples of Bhadrabahu due to the visitation of severe chill (on Vaibharagiri) in Rajagṛha. According to the Uttarādhyayana cūrņi (c. A.D. 675-700), these four disciples were of the Vanika (merchant) community and belonged to Rajagṛha45. But each one of them, according to this source, died at a different locale within Rajagṛha46. These four disciples evidently were different, as will be shown, from the earlier four noted, beginning from Godāsa, in the Sthavinavali. We will look into other information in the post-niryukti literature as the discussion progresses.
Turning now to the Southern literary sources, the earliest two works which tabulate the spiritual lineage of Bhadrabahu, namely the Trilokaprajñapti47 and the Śravanabelgola Inscription No. 148 are about five to three centuries and odd decades posterior to the relevant two earlier portions of the Sthaviravali of the Paryuṣaṇā-kalpa cited in the foregoing discussion. And the two sources next in date, the Harivamsa-purana49 and the Dhavala